Seal ring structure for semiconductor device

Abstract

A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor strip in a seal ring area. The semiconductor structure further includes a dielectric structure extending into the semiconductor strip, wherein a plurality of metal structures and a plurality of via structures stack over the dielectric structure to form a seal ring structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A semiconductor structure comprising:
 a semiconductor strip in a seal ring area; 
 a dielectric structure, wherein a conductive interconnect structure directly contacts the dielectric structure to form a seal ring structure, and the dielectric structure is a continuous structure extending from above the semiconductor strip into the semiconductor strip; 
 a first edge dielectric structure extending into the semiconductor strip and an insulating feature, wherein the first edge dielectric structure directly contacts both the semiconductor strip and the insulating feature; and 
 a second edge dielectric structure extending into the semiconductor strip and the insulating feature, wherein the dielectric structure is between the first edge dielectric structure and the second edge dielectric structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The semiconductor structure of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric structure includes silicon nitride. 
     
     
       3. The semiconductor structure of  claim 1 , wherein the dielectric structure corresponds to a continuous poly on oxide definition (CPODE) pattern, and the first edge dielectric structure and the second edge dielectric structure correspond to a poly on oxide definition (PODE) pattern. 
     
     
       4. The semiconductor structure of  claim 1 , wherein a top surface of the dielectric structure is coplanar with a top surface of an active gate electrode in a circuit area. 
     
     
       5. The semiconductor structure of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layers over the dielectric structure, wherein the conductive interconnect structure comprises a plurality of metal structures and a plurality of via structures, the plurality of metal structures and the plurality of via structures are in the plurality of IMD layers, and at least one IMD layer having a silicon nitride structure to form the seal ring structure. 
 
     
     
       6. A semiconductor structure comprising:
 a semiconductor body; 
 a plurality of structures, wherein a first structure of the plurality of structures comprises a first dielectric material extending from above the semiconductor body into the semiconductor body; 
 an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) over the semiconductor body, wherein the ILD is between adjacent structures of the plurality of structures; 
 an interconnect element over the first structure; 
 an inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layer surrounding the interconnect element, wherein a material of the IMD layer is different from the first dielectric material; and 
 an insulating feature in the semiconductor body, wherein a second structure of the plurality of structures lands on the insulating feature, an interface between the insulating feature and the second structure is below a top surface of the semiconductor body, and the first structure of the plurality of structures extends beyond a periphery of the insulating feature in a direction parallel to a top surface of the semiconductor body. 
 
     
     
       7. The semiconductor structure of  claim 6 , wherein each structure of the plurality of structures comprises the first dielectric material extending from above the semiconductor body into the semiconductor body. 
     
     
       8. The semiconductor structure of  claim 6 , wherein the interconnect element extends over each structure of the plurality of structures. 
     
     
       9. The semiconductor structure of  claim 6 , further comprising a second interconnect element, wherein the second interconnect element is over the first structure, and the interconnect element is over a second structure of the plurality of structures. 
     
     
       10. The semiconductor structure of  claim 6 , further comprising an integrated circuit, wherein the plurality of structures surrounds the integrated circuit. 
     
     
       11. The semiconductor structure of  claim 6 , further comprising a second insulating feature in the semiconductor body, wherein a third structure of the plurality of structures lands on the second insulating feature. 
     
     
       12. The semiconductor structure of  claim 6 , wherein a material of the interconnect element comprises a conductive material. 
     
     
       13. The semiconductor structure of  claim 6 , wherein a material of the interconnect element comprises a dielectric material. 
     
     
       14. The semiconductor structure of  claim 13 , wherein the material of the IMD layer is different from the material of the interconnect element. 
     
     
       15. A semiconductor structure comprising:
 a semiconductor body; 
 an integrated circuit on the semiconductor body; and 
 a seal ring structure surrounding the integrated circuit, wherein the seal ring structure comprises:
 a first edge structure over the semiconductor body; 
 a second edge structure over the semiconductor body; 
 a central structure between the first edge structure and the second edge structure, wherein the central structure comprises a dielectric material extending from above the semiconductor body into the semiconductor body; and 
 an inter-layer dielectric (ILD) over the semiconductor body, wherein the ILD is between the first edge structure and the central structure, the ILD is between the second edge structure and the central structure, and a top surface of the ILD is coplanar with a top surface of the central structure. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The semiconductor structure of  claim 15 , wherein the first edge structure comprises the dielectric material extending from above the semiconductor body into the semiconductor body. 
     
     
       17. The semiconductor structure of  claim 15 , further comprising an insulating element in the semiconductor body, wherein the first edge structure lands on the insulating element. 
     
     
       18. The semiconductor structure of  claim 15 , further comprising an insulating element in the semiconductor body, wherein the first edge structure comprises the dielectric material extending from above the semiconductor body, through the insulating element and into the semiconductor body below the insulating element. 
     
     
       19. The semiconductor structure of  claim 15 , wherein the seal ring structure comprises an interconnect element over at least one of the first edge structure, the second edge structure or the central structure.